If only Sarah Palin had run ...

By Timothy Stanley, Special to CNN ....It's Palin who seems to have a better sense of the limited role that faith should play in politics and a better idea of when to keep her mouth shut. Moreover, she would never tell a journalist that he was talking "bull***t," even if she did congratulate Rick Santorum for doing so. Contrary to the media narrative, even at her most accident-prone, Palin has always been a classy, well-choreographed performer.

Lacking the foibles of Gingrich and Santorum, Palin would have been a far more effective anti-Romney candidate because her strengths accentuated Romney's weaknesses. Romney is known as the Etch A Sketch candidate; Palin is aggressively authentic. Romney is seen by many as a moneyed elitist; Palin is the conservative class warrior, happy to slam the "crony capitalism" that benefits both big labor and big business. Romney's limitations have been revealed, one by one, in the course of the primary campaign; Palin was well-vetted by the press in 2008 and has nothing left to say or do that would surprise us.

Love her or loathe her, we all know who Palin is. Her weaknesses, being old news, wouldn't have dominated the primary narrative like Bain Capital or Seamus the dog, made famous by his terrifying ride atop Romney's car. Palin would have spent the past three months attacking her opponents. Then she would have turned her guns on the president.....

I agree that Palin has been vetted, and that nothing would surprise us, though I strongly disagree about the label of "classy." From her gaudy accessories featured on the cover of her book to her tasteless rants on Twitter and Facebook—the woman is an attention-seeking media whore. If Sarah Palin is considered the most viable anti-Romney candidate then Republicans are in a heap of trouble.

She cost Johnny Boy the election, and even after the election she has fallen out of favor by those who once supported her.

Palin gave up any future in national politics when she bailed on her governor's position halfway through the term in order to become a reality tv star and media personality. She was elected to a full term -- and by running she implicitly agreed to serve the full term -- not quit when a better-paying cable tv show came along.She decided to sell out and cash in. No one takes her seriously now.Oh, and she's far too stupid to ever be President -- a fact the nation is now painfully aware of. Outside of a lunatic fringe of "tea partiers," she's extremely unpopular, even among Republicans.

KissTheSky saidPalin gave up any future in national politics when she bailed on her governor's position halfway through the term in order to become a reality tv star and media personality. She was elected to a full term -- and by running she implicitly agreed to serve the full term -- not quit when a better-paying cable tv show came along.She decided to sell out and cash in. No one takes her seriously now.Oh, and she's far too stupid to ever be President -- a fact the nation is now painfully aware of. Outside of a lunatic fringe of "tea partiers," she's extremely unpopular, even among Republicans.

I never thought I'd be able to say this, but I think the repubs actually did worse than Palin in putting up Santorum, and Gingrich as their supposedly viable candidates. They're all little more than lobby lap dogs.

KissTheSky saidPalin gave up any future in national politics when she bailed on her governor's position halfway through the term in order to become a reality tv star and media personality. She was elected to a full term -- and by running she implicitly agreed to serve the full term -- not quit when a better-paying cable tv show came along.She decided to sell out and cash in. No one takes her seriously now.Oh, and she's far too stupid to ever be President -- a fact the nation is now painfully aware of. Outside of a lunatic fringe of "tea partiers," she's extremely unpopular, even among Republicans.

Yep. She was elected by her state for four years, well then serve your four years. She was done in my book when she did that.

I agree that Palin has been vetted, and that nothing would surprise us, though I strongly disagree about the label of "classy." From her gaudy accessories featured on the cover of her book to her tasteless rants on Twitter and Facebook—the woman is an attention-seeking media whore. If Sarah Palin is considered the most viable anti-Romney candidate then Republicans are in a heap of trouble.

She cost Johnny Boy the election, and even after the election she has fallen out of favor by those who once supported her.

She cost Johnny Boy the election, and even after the election she has fallen out of favor by those who once supported her.

Actually, Sarah Palin energized the seriously anemic McCain campaign. If it were not for Sarah Palin, McCain may have lost by a larger margin.

She may have energized McCain's campaign for a short time, but the honeymoon was short-lived. The Katie Couric interview and the others that followed put her ineptness on display, and she never recovered. Not surprising that some Republicans, like Colin Powell voted for Obama instead.

She cost Johnny Boy the election, and even after the election she has fallen out of favor by those who once supported her.

Actually, Sarah Palin energized the seriously anemic McCain campaign. If it were not for Sarah Palin, McCain may have lost by a larger margin.

She may have energized McCain's campaign for a short time, but the honeymoon was short-lived. The Katie Couric interview and the others that followed put her ineptness on display, and she never recovered. Not surprising that some Republicans, like Colin Powell voted for Obama instead.

The media will be all over Sarah Palin at the 2012 Republican Convention. Yes, she has her weaknesses already mentioned, but that was 4 years ago. What wins elections is her Ronald Reagan rock star persona.

If there is any possibility of a brokered convention...Sarah Palin is the only other candidate already vetted through a national campaign. People can picture her at the debates, turning to President Obama, and asking him why he pays $1,200 for toilet seats...or some other anecdotal example of government waste. If you have common sense, guts and good sense of timing, you can outwit more experienced opponents.

She cost Johnny Boy the election, and even after the election she has fallen out of favor by those who once supported her.

Actually, Sarah Palin energized the seriously anemic McCain campaign. If it were not for Sarah Palin, McCain may have lost by a larger margin.

She may have energized McCain's campaign for a short time, but the honeymoon was short-lived. The Katie Couric interview and the others that followed put her ineptness on display, and she never recovered. Not surprising that some Republicans, like Colin Powell voted for Obama instead.

The media will be all over Sarah Palin at the 2012 Republican Convention. Yes, she has her weaknesses already mentioned, but that was 4 years ago. What wins elections is her Ronald Reagan rock star persona.

If there is any possibility of a brokered convention...Sarah Palin is the only other candidate already vetted through a national campaign. People can picture her at the debates, turning to President Obama, and asking him why he pays $1,200 for toilet seats...or some other anecdotal example of government waste. If you have common sense, guts and good sense of timing, you can outwit a more experienced opponent.

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Lets hope that what you suggest regarding Palin doesn't happen at the Repub convention to revive her back to the forfront in Republican Politics.

The onlooking world community are already wondering what the hell is happening to the US over the ignorant and backward legislation coming from the rise of the Christian Fundi's and their Taliban like bent toward controling everything according to their religious beliefs.

Palins star rising again will seal the worlds negative impression that has been furthered by the likes of Santorums rise. The fundi's and their political leaders would take us off the proverbial cliff like stupid lemmings.

Of course the Israeli Lobby AIPAC will be tickled with such a result because these usefull idiot Fundi's provide it with the political cover to keep forwarding their Settlement adventures at the expense of Middle East Peace and then they could get their additional war of choice with Iran as they did with Iraq.

White4DarkerFL saidIf there is any possibility of a brokered convention...Sarah Palin is the only other candidate already vetted through a national campaign.

I seriously doubt that there will be a brokered convention, and if there is I also seriously doubt that Sarah Palin would be at or near the top of alternatives to Romney. Barring any out-of-left-field events on the campaign trail, the nomination is almost assured to Romney. However, that being said, this GOP campaign has had so many twists and turns already that I suppose anything can happen.

Romney is much like Obama, he's said all the right things to his base and the various lobbies he needs for their votes and when it gets down to actual practice they'll both continue the status quo to keep all the monied interests and the Military Industrial complex satisfied. Both parties are bought and paid for and we might just as well accept it

Since that's the case, I'd much rather vote for Obama the devil that's known and at least somewhat moderate as apposed to Romney the devil there is still some doubt about. Either way there's fucking little difference between them which makes all this partisan bickering rather ludicrous.

The main difference I can see is the dangerous Republican tilt toward the Christian Fundi Taliban style government and they're more obvious in their alegience to MONEY, beyond that its all 'smoke and mirrors'.